Dennis Wise's career has been littered with more fights and fines than you can wave a red card at. In the era preceding Roman Abramovich's arrival at Chelsea he was the scowling face of Ken Bates's Stamford Bridge empire. At his fiery peak the midfielder was aggressive, unapologetic and, in the eyes of many, arrogant.

On the eve of the League Two season, Swindon Town's new manager has asked his players to adopt those same characteristics in the quest for promotion. Wise has yet to hang up his boots, although he will spend extended periods in the dug-out this season to concentrate on the job in hand. Sensing the repercussions of the absence of his bite, the 39-year-old is urging his players to become similarly cocky.

"I want them to be a little bit arrogant in the way they are because I want them to enjoy playing for Swindon and be the best no matter who it is," he said. "I said to them when we played Reading [in pre-season] that these are fantastic players who are now in the Premiership.

"I told my players to think that one day they will be in their place [in the Premiership]. They have to be the best every week. If they are arrogant, and mentally and physically strong, we will be OK. I've told them to enjoy their football."

Wise's demands illustrate his desire to sculpt Wiltshire's finest in his own image. The man who, in his first managerial position, guided Millwall into Europe thanks to an FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United in 2004 claims to have received bigger offers than the one from the County Ground, but the willingness of the club to allow him to operate without interference proved crucial. "When I had a chat with them they asked me if I fancied the job and I think they expected me to say 'No,'" he said. "But I asked them whether or not I could do certain things, and told them that I would think about it.

"I wanted to run the whole shebang. At some clubs you do not get that opportunity, but they have allowed me to bring in the people I want to work with, and that was it. I was wanted at Swindon and they made me feel welcome. They wanted a change and something different."

Paul Ince could yet join as a player-coach but one already in place is Gus Poyet, the Uruguayan who partnered Wise in Chelsea's midfield. The little and large pairing is expected to attract the gaze of League Two spectators, whether they are paired on the pitch or the sidelines.

"I tried to sign him when I was at Millwall but his missus wanted to go home [to Uruguay]," said Wise. "I was close to signing him but he told me he would work with me in my next job.

"Hungary wanted him to be the national team's director of football and he turned them down to join us. I trust him and work well with him. We are here to learn, and it is only right we do it at the bottom and work up."

It is apt to describe Swindon as at the bottom. In the Premiership 12 years ago, the club now find themselves in the lowest tier of the Football League. Wise, who captained Chelsea to two FA Cup wins, the Cup Winners' Cup and a League Cup, has been given the task of resurrecting a club that had gone stale.

"They were a bunch of lads who were low of confidence and finding it hard," he said. "But with a bit of encouragement and organisation, and making them mentally strong, they have changed. It has been hard graft but they took to it after a few weeks and now they are fighting fit. The players were wearing heart-rate monitors and they can't cheat it - they have been working to their maximum. I told them I expect 110% and they have given me it."

All they are required to do now is replicate the arrogance that defined Wise's playing days.